Orthopedic belt



March 2, 1965 CETRONE 3,171,409

ORTHOPEDIC BELT Filed Feb. 7, 1963 FIC5.4

F! r a L) u.

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,171,409 ORTHOPEDIC BELT Larry E. Cetrone, Breckenridge Road, Mahopac, N.Y. Filed Feb. 7, 1963, Ser. No. 257,064 7 Claims. (Cl. 128-99) The present invention relates generally to improvements in orthopedic devices and it relates more particularly to an improved orthopedic belt for use by laborers or those engaged in various physical activities.

Many forms of physical activity, typical of which are those of the heavy laborer, subject many body organs and parts to high stresses which frequently overstrain these organs and parts and often result in their impairment. Such consequences are usually uncomfortable and painful, occasionally incapacitating a person for long periods of time and usually necessitating some sort of therapy.

Among the organs and body parts which are often subject to damaging overstrain are the abdominal wall, the spinal column and the back muscles. Many devices have been employed and proposed to prevent this overstrain but these have possessed many drawbacks and disadvantages. Those which have any effectiveness have been large and awkward arrangements, which have been difiicult to use, expensive, and so highly uncomfortable as to radically reduce the efiiciency and capabilities of the wearer. On the other hand, those devices of somewhat less awkwardness are of only very limited effectiveness and of highly unattractive appearance.

It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved orthopedic device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved orthopedic belt.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved compact orthopedic belt which may be concurrently employed as an externally applied apparel belt.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a multifunctional orthopedic belt highly suitable for laborers and other engaged in heavy physical activities without impairing the wearers elficiency or capabilities in these activities.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an improved orthopedic belt of the above nature characterized by its versatility, adjustability, low cost and attractive appearance.

The above and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top perspective view of an orthopedic belt embodying the present invention illustrated in closed position;

FIGURE 2 is an inside fragmentary plan view thereof illustrated in a fully open lie flat position;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 33 in FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 44 in FIGURE 2.

In a sense the present invention contemplates the provision of an orthopedic device of the character described comprising an elongated longitudinally extending flexible belt having a wide medially located rear section and a pair of intermediate relatively narrow sections disposed on opposite sides of said rear section and terminating in end sections, separable fastening means located on said end sections, and an elongated flexible pad located on and afiixed to the inner face of each of said intermediate sections.

According to a preferred form of the present orthopedic device the belt intermediate sections have concave upper and lower longitudinal edges extending for substantially the full lengths of the intermediate sections. The pads likewise extend for substantially the full lengths of the intermediate sections and are of outwardly convex transverse cross-section and of greater thickness than that of the belt. The longitudinal edges of the pads are spaced slightly inwardly from the corresponding belt edges. Opposite ends of the belt are provided with a buckle and eyelet holes respectively to permit their adjustable separable attatchment.

Referring now to the drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reference numeral 10 generally designates the improved orthopedic device which includes a flexible belt 11 of a length fitted to the girth of the wearer as is well known in the art. For example, where the wearer has a 36 inch waist the belt should be of the order of about 43 inches long and provided with adjustable fastening means as will be hereinafter set forth. The width of the belt is advantageously between about 1% and 1% inches, preferably about 1% inches and is of any desired thickness, for example, about /8 inch. The belt 11 may be formed of any suitable flexible material such as leather, saran and the like.

The belt 11 includes a relatively short rear section 12 advantageously between 1 /2 and 2 /2 inches long, for example 2 inches long and it is of about the full width of the belt. A medial transverse spine or rib 13 is medially formed at the belt rear section 12 and is offset toward the buckle end of the belt so as to substantially coincide with the wearers spine when worn in the usual manner. Projecting laterally from the belt rear. section 12 are opposite symmetrically located similar intermediate sections 14. The length of each of the intermediate sections 14 is advantageously between 20% and 35% of the overall length of the belt or between about 30% and 40% of its specified size, preferably about 38% and 34% respectively. In the specific belt specified above the length of each section is preferably about 12% inches.

The upper and lower edges 16 and 17 respectively of the belt intermediate sections 14 are of outwardly concave configuration along the length of the intermediate sections 14 to form longitudinally curved recesses extending for approximately the full length of each of the sections 14. Thus each intermediate section 14 is of lesser width than the belt rear section 12 gradually decreasing in width from opposite ends thereof approaching the center. The width of the belt intermediate section 14 along its transverse medial axis is advantageously between about and inch less than that of the rear section 12 and preferably about A inch less. It should be noted that the slope of the edges 16 and 17 are greatest adjacent their ends so that there is a maximum change in the belt width in these areas.

Extending laterally from the outer ends of the belt intermediate sections 14 are belt tongue and buckle end sections 18 and 19 respectively which are of a width substantially equal to that of the rear section 12 and of lengths which permit the convenient fitting of the belt to the wearer as above set forth. The tongue section 18 has formed therein a plurality of longitudinally spaced pairs of equally transverely spaced eyelet openings 20 preferably reinforced by brass grommets in the well known manner. The free end of the belt tongue section is curved and is fitted with a crescent shaped brass tip plate 21.

Securely mounted on the free end of the belt section 19 in the conventional manner is a buckle 22 of suitable construction including a rectangular buckle frame 23 provided with a medially located transversely extending cross bar 24. The end of the belt section 19 is looped around the cross bar 24 and then stitched to effect assembly thereof and has a pair of transversely spaced openings formed therein which register with the cross bar 24. A pair of tends for substantially the full length :of each of the belt' intermediate sections 14, in the present example about. 7

12% inches, and is medially located along the longitudinal axis thereof. The longitudinaledgesof each padr28 .are parallel to each other and spaced inwardly from the corresponding .edges of the belt intermediate section 14 and the .pad 28 .'is advantageously between 1 and 1% inches Wide, preferably about 1% inches Wide. The pad 28 is of uniform outwardly convex transverse cross section along substantially ,the full length thereof, the outer curved face 29 thereof extending to the inner face of the belt. The outer ends 30 of the pads 28 are curved and the top faces thereof slope to the inner face of the belt.

Each of the pads 28 maybe formed of tihin leather, foam rubber. or other elastorneric preferably foamed ma,- terial, and is secured to the inner-face of the belt by cementing or otherwise. The maximumthickness of the pad 28 is advantageously between inch and A inch and preferably about inch when'formed of, a foamed elastomeric material. The belt '11 may beydecorated in any desired manner and'may be provided with any suitable accessories such as tool holders or the like.

In employing the orthopedic belt described above it is Worn in the usual fashion as any conventional belt and may be used to support trousers or other article of apparel. However, by reason of the configuration and relationship of the intermediate sections .14 and of the rear section'12 and the provision and configuration and relationship of the pads 28 the support and reinforcement of the abdominal wall, spine and back muscles of the wearer is greatly assisted to thereby reduce the likelihood of overstraining and imparing these organs.

While there has been described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention it is apparent belt having a relatively wide medially located rear section defining the back portion of said belt when in position on the wearer thereof and a pair of intermediate relatively narrow sections extending longitudinally from opposite sides of said rear sectionand having concave upper and lower edges extending for substantially the lengths of said intermediate sections and end sections extending from said intermediate sections, seperable fastening means located in said end sections and a longitudinally elongated flexible pad of substantially uniform outwardly convex transverse cross=section along substantially ,thefull length thereof located on and affixed to the inner face of each-of said intermediate section's-and extending for substantially the I full length'thereof;

2. The orthopedic devicewof claim 1 wherein the upper and lower longitudinal edges of said pads are spaced'from the adjacent edges of said intermediate beltsections.

3. The orthopedic device of claim 1 wherein said pads have a thickness at theircrown of between about inch and inch.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 851,889 4/07 .Knightetal. 12896 1,646,590 :10/27 'Mildenberg 12878 X 1,908,906 5/33 L666 12s 7sv I 2,554,337 "5/51' Jemi a. 12s 7s 489,540 '10/18 France.

355,030 12/37 Italy.

DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Exl/zmirieri JORDAN FRANKLIN, LOUIS R. PRINCE;

, V Examiners. 

1. AN ORTHOPEDIC DEVICE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING AN ELONGATED LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING FLEXIBLE BELT HAVING A RELATIVELY WIDE MEDIALLY LOCATED REAR SECTION DEFINING THE BACK PORTION OF SAID BELT WHEN IN POSITION ON THE WEARER THEREOF AND A PAIR OF INTERMEDIATE RELATIVELY NARROW SECTIONS EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY FROM OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID REAR SECTION AND HAVING CONCAVE UPPER AND LOWER EDGES EXTENDING FOR SUBSTANTIALLY THE LENGTHS OF SAID INTERMEDIATE SECTIONS AND END SECTIONS EXTENDING FROM SAID 